


Love as full as a peony

by sasuhina_gal



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blades, Boys Over Flowers au, M/M, Minor Koliallura, Peony - Freeform, Rich Potter Shiro, Shance Flower Exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 17:45:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasuhina_gal/pseuds/sasuhina_gal
Summary: Shiro wasn't expecting that finding a heartbroken Lance would of changed him but it did. Now after helping him, he needs to sort through his feelings for a boy who's as delicate as a peony





	Love as full as a peony

**Author's Note:**

> @ifellfromtheskies, I didn’t realise I’ve rebloged some our work. It’s so pretty. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this. I decided to go with peonies because the other flower you asked for was really hard to find the meaning for. I found it for other colours except white, so please enjoy. I got the idea from rewatching the K-Drama, Boys over Flowers. What you need to know, if you’ve never heard or watched it, is Allura got a scholarship to a really high class school and gained a ton of attention, even more after she met the Blades, 4 of the richest boys in the entire country. Kolivan is the ‘leader’ and started dating Allura after pushing her buttons and Allura not backing down. Ulaz, Shiro and Thace are also part of the group.

Shiro sat fuming in his car as his driver drove him back to his house. Another one, his father was with another one of his “secret” lovers, leaving him to clean up the mess his mother became when she found out. He stared out the window, wanting to go home or at least to the club house except he knew Kolivan would still be there steaming from the incident with Allura and Allura’s best friend’s boyfriend. What was his name again?

Lance, that was it. He didn’t know him that well, even after Kolivan asked him to go to the shop Allura worked at and try and find her friend who worked there to take on that surprise trip and found the brown haired blue eyed guy. When Kolivan whisked Allura away for lunch, he was put in charge in keeping Lance occupied. It only lasted for him taking Lance up to one of the high points of the island to take pictures, which lead him getting tricked into going higher by Lance’s fake scream for help. He bugged Lance about having a crush on Kolivan, which wasn’t true, but it was fun to watch his tan skin glow red in embarrassment. Lance avoided him mostly after that and all he found out after that was Lance got a boyfriend and invited Allura and Kolivan out on a double date, which ended horribly when Lance’s boyfriend admitted he was cheating on him and after insulting Allura, tried inviting Kolivan out. Now Kolivan was steaming because Allura was mad at him when she didn’t know the whole story and when the two were mad at each other it was impossible to get them to see eye to eye. He was leaving it in Ulaz’s hands to be the mediator.

Shiro blinked when he saw a familiar back. It was one he kept seeing when Lance would see him walking towards him and would spin around and walk away. The car turned down the street Lance had turned off on and Shiro watched as he seemed to walk in a daze before he stumbled onto a store front stoop. Something was telling him there was something wrong with Lance, and if what Kolivan told them was true, Lance looked like he just found out.

“Stop the car.” He ordered his driver, before he got out and walked to where Lance was sitting, tears slowly falling down his cheeks. “Aren’t you above the age of sitting and crying in public?” Lance looked up at him, the glassy eyes hitting Shiro in the heart. “Kolivan told us what happened. I guess you found out huh?”

It seemed to be a trigger as more tears started to fall from his eyes and Lance started sobbing loudly. Shiro was all for never holding your emotions inside but Lance’s loud crying was getting attention from anyone passing them on the street, mostly giving Shiro dirty looks.

“It wasn’t me.” he tried explaining to the people and turned to Lance, “Lance, please stop crying please! Let me take you to my house ok? Do you really want to sit here in the cold crying?”

Lance loudly sniffed, looking at Shiro with his watery eyes. “You’re not going to throw me onto a plane again are you?”

“If I need to get you on a plane, I’ll just mention Allura. I promise, no planes. Just a warm house and a high priced cup of tea, ok? Just, please stop crying.”

Lance sniffed again before he nodded. Shiro pulled out a handkerchief and gave it to Lance before he pulled Lance up and lead him to the car.

_‘If the guys could see me now. Blades’ Casanova taking care of a guy he only knew from another Blades’ girlfriend.’_

* * *

 

Lance sat in the same room he was in when Shiro came to ask him if Allura planned on playing with Kolivan’s heart. He had been insulted on her behalf and stormed out. Then after he got it out of him that he didn’t like either Kolivan or Allura in the way Shiro was thinking, Lance did his best to avoid the monochromatic haired rich guy during the whole sudden trip. He didn’t expect that when his heart was breaking from his boyfriend dumping him, Shiro would come sweep him up from the street. He cried more in the car and Shiro didn’t say a word, just being a quiet comforting presence. Shiro sat him down at the table and told him to choose a tea set so he could make them tea. He left the cups on the table and Lance was playing with the small cup in his hands, his fingers brushing over the painted flower. It was pretty, similar looking to a rose but more full. He remembered Allura telling him that Shiro’s father was an extremely famous potter, his schools having large waiting lists in attempts to get in. She also mentioned that Shiro’s designs were hand painted by him. For someone who had enjoyed annoying him, Shiro was very good at handling delicate items, which seemed to fit his situation completely.

He couldn’t believe he was played. Poor Kolivan put up with the teasing and jests all night until he finally snapped with the insults to him and mostly to Allura, and Allura got mad at him. Granted, Allura left him to go apologize before he started wondering around before he couldn’t take it anymore and burst into tears. But still, he was called ugly, clingy and toyed with by someone he thought actually liked him.

Shiro came back in and set the tea set on the table, pouring hot water into the cup that held the tea strainer. He smelt lavender and mint. It was a strange smell but it was calming almost. He watched Shiro pour him a cup before picking up the other cup that went to the set.

“This cup looks pretty fragile right?” Shiro asked, Lance nodding at the question. Shiro held his hand out and dropped the cup onto the floor but it didn’t break when it hit the hardwood floor. “It’s stronger than it looks. How long do you think for it took to become this way?” at the questioning look in Lance’s eyes, Shiro explained. “First it has to be filtered, then stepped on and after being cut down again and again, it has to withstand 1,300 degree heat. But even after enduring all that, it doesn’t become yours. You have to let it go.” Picking the cup up, he walked over to another table where many of Shiro’s tools sat and placed the cup on a towel, covering it before picking up a hammer and let the hammer drop down on the covered cup, to which Lance winced at the loud cracking sound. He watched as Shiro pulled the towel away and faced him again. “In order to be truly strong and to find what’s truly yours, you have to go through a process, just like what you experienced.”

It made sense. It made so much sense, but it still didn’t mean it sucked to go through. Getting up from the table, he walked over to where Shiro was sitting on the edge of the table. “I think I understand. Thank you. I know we haven’t really talked since the trip incident and you really didn’t have come talk to me, but I’m glad you did.”

The smile he got back in return made Lance’s stomach flutter. In attempts to ignore it, he picked on the piece that had the biggest flower painting on it. “What was the flower called?”

“Peonies. I don’t remember the meaning of it, but I remember in Greek mythology, a student saved Pluto –”

“Roman. Pluto is the name for Hades in Roman mythology.” Lance corrected

“I’m surprised you know that. Not many people take much interest in the difference.”

“You can thank Percy Jackson for that. Continue.”

Smirking at the command Shiro did, “a student of the god of medicine used a peony to save Pluto. The teacher became jealous and tried to get rid of his student, but the student was saved by Pluto, who turned them into a peony because he knew they’d be praised and admired.”

Looking at the painting of the petals, Lance said, “It’s compassionate isn’t it? The student just wanted to save the god and not get any recognition for it and he was repaid by being turned into a flower. It saved his life so it’s not so bad.”

“They’re popular in China and Indiana.” Shiro threw in. “so Pluto did his job right.”

Lance huffed out a laugh, which he saw brought another smile to Shiro’s face and another set of fluttering to his stomach.

“Shall we go?”

Lance looked at the taller man, “where?”

“I’m not having the best day either so it’s best to let loose so you don’t hold onto the anger. Come on.” Shiro plucked the broken piece of pottery out of Lance’s hand, throwing it back into the pile as he grabbed Lance’s hand and pulled him out the door.

“We’re not going on another trip are we?” Lance asked as Shiro pulled him to his car.

“You’ll see.”

And that’s how Lance was whisked away to a VVIP establishment. The hairdressers there gave him a hair treatment he dreamed to afford, making his hair softer and actually allowing it to look fuller when they parted his hair on the side; making most of it fall over his left eye. He looked different, like he lived the life of luxury, and all from his hair. They lightly gave him make up, which he knew was more expensive than anything he could afford on his own and when he opened his eyes, he couldn’t believe the final result. He glanced over at Shiro, hoping to get a reaction but gave a little pout when he saw he was beaten by a magazine. He didn’t see that when he looked away, Shiro did look up, a fond and stunned smile overtaking his face. Once that was done, Lance followed as Shiro went around the clothing department for something for Lance to wear. He was apprehensive when he was handed a blue suit and pushed to the changing room, but did what he was told. The applause he got from Shiro when he came out in a grey and blue suit, with matching Chelsea boots, made it worth it though. Instead of a pocket square, Shiro put a pale peony in his pocket.

“So they can see you deserved to be praised and admired.” Shiro said, making Lance turn red

When they did finally head out onto the streets, hand in hand, towards a club Lance recognised, Lance pulled Shiro to a stop.

“You know, that, um…” Lance tried explaining, ignoring the screams from the onlookers who recognised one of the members of the Blades, the group of the highest class men in the whole country.

“He works here? Don’t worry, I know and he’s going to regret messing with you. Come on.”

Shiro sounded so sure of himself that Lance let himself be pulled into the club and hand his winter coat to the coat check before leading him into the loud room, where the dance floor was filled of dancing people, the bar empty except for two people. Lance’s ex and the girl he had been with when he was unknowingly admitting what he had done to piss Kolivan off.

Lance was staring when he felt breath against his ear as Shiro whispered something to him. Lance nodded, hoping that Shiro knew what he was doing when he was given a smile from his date, who disappeared. Lance only had to wait a few moments, keeping himself from facing his ex, when Shiro re-entered from the stage area, getting attention as he parted the crowd like the Red Sea from the girls who recognised him.

“Oh, it’s Takashi Shirogane! The Blades don’t come to places like this. What’s he doing here?” Lance heard his ex’s new girlfriend ask. “Wow, he does exude this god like glow.” Well, Lance wasn’t going to argue with that. He might not have really known Shiro as well as Allura did, but Lance was not blind.

“What’s the Blades?” he heard his ex ask. Lance rolled his eyes. Even he knew who the Blades were before he even met them.

“What are you, living under a rock? You’ve never heard of the Assassins of the Hearts?”

Lance watched as Shiro approached the girl, quickly gaining her attention. “Excuse me?”

“Me?”

Shiro nodded, acting like the perfect gentlemen but somehow Lance could see the fakeness in it. He never got that from Shiro, even when he annoyed Shiro by tricking him.

“Yes. I was wondering, I saw a violin in the back and wondered if I could perform?”

“Yes, of course! You can perform all night if you want to.” She said, trying to butter him up. Now Lance could see what Allura was talking about when she talked about the students at her school trying to butter her up when it was announced she and Kolivan were dating.

He watched as Shiro gently took the girl’s hand like she was a princess and parted the crowd again to the stage, the girl walking like she was the most important thing in the room. He watched as she handed him a violin case and he opened it to pull out an electric violin. Everyone waited in baited breaths as Shiro tuned and rosined the bow, talking to the DJ about the sound control of the violin before he turned to his crowd, violin sitting on his collarbone ready to be played.

“There’s someone here tonight who’s stolen my heart.” He looked around the room and for a moment, Lance was sure he was looking at him. “For that person, I’ll perform what my heart is feeling.” As soon as the crowd had stopped their cheering, Shiro glided the bow across the strings. Even with the electric sound of the notes, the song was beautiful and full of love. It captivated everyone in the room and Lance could feel those flutters in his stomach again. It reminded him of the love he thought he had with his ex. Lance wanted that love, for real this time.

He clapped with everyone when Shiro finished, who smiled and bowed slightly before putting the violin back into its case, leaving his ex’s girlfriend standing on the stage, her hand outstretched like she was waiting for Shiro to take it. Shiro was headed for him when a tap on his shoulder broke him from the grey eyes he had been staring at.

“I’ve never seen you before,” his ex started before Lance turned to him, making him stop, “it’s you. Lance. You came to see me didn’t you?” he looked Lance up and down, making Lance uncomfortable, compared to when Shiro had done it, which made him feel happy. “You should have dressed like this sooner. I didn’t even recognise you.” Hearing this made Lance realise his ex was about to find a new toy, and he could tell his ex were going to try and lure him in again. “You wanna get out of here?”

How did he fall for this guy before? Seriously, this guy just told him he was annoying and clinging and admitted to playing with him and he thought Lance was trying to win him back?

“Lance.” Lance looked over to Shiro, looking like he didn’t know who his ex was. “Someone you know?”

_“When I distract his girlfriend, which he won’t like, he’ll pay attention to you. Don’t look at him until he comes over and then, say you don’t know him.”_

That’s what Shiro whispered to him. And with a small shake of Shiro’s head when Lance was about to answer yes, reminded Lance of why he was here.

Lance turned to his ex, looking at him like he had looked at Lance earlier. “No, I’ve never met this guy before.”

“Lance, what’s your relationship with this jerk?” his ex demanded, like they were still going out and he hadn’t called Lance ugly and clingy when he ripped Lance’s heart out.

Shiro answered that question by turning to the watching crowd and saying, “This man is the person who stole my heart and refuses to give it back,” giving Lance this look that was slowly turning him red. He also noticed that Shiro placed himself that he was blocking Lance’s ex from view, so the whole crowd could focus on Lance. “Lance, please stop torturing me and come to me.” Shiro asked, holding his hand out, waiting for Lance to take it. Lance knew it was just pretend, but Lance felt wanted and for a moment, he wanted it to be real. He took Shiro’s hand, truly feeling his face go red when Shiro brought it to his lips and pressed a kiss against it before wrapping his arm around his shoulder and lead him out of the room.

They got their coats and were back outside when Shiro pulled his scarf off and wrapped it around Lance’s exposed neck, gently pushing hair out of his eyes when he made sure it was fully around Lance’s neck, holding out his elbow for Lance to take.

“Shouldn’t we make it perfect to the end? Even if it is just acting?”

Lance could act for a bit longer. Because Lance knew he was falling hard.

* * *

 

Lance stared at the peony, twirling the blossom around in his hand. After Shiro dropped him back of at his own place, he avoided to questions from his siblings and was able to get his mom to help him figure out how to save the flower for longer. He didn’t feel safe leaving it at the house with his nosy siblings so he took it with him when he left for school, keeping it safe throughout the whole day until he got to work. Allura had yet to come in, no doubt distracted by Kolivan trying to keep her attention instead of coming to work. He was sure if asked, Kolivan would send the same former waitresses turned models that helped Coran while he and Allura were on the surprise trip. Though if he didn’t have to work, he’d be thinking of Shiro all day.

Lance wasn’t usually like this, falling for someone so quickly and honestly with what he just went through he was so sure he’d give up on dating for a while. He also knew last night was just acting, but Shiro made him feel so special and loved and…

“Ugg, why Lance?” he questioned to himself, happy the shop was empty at the moment.

“You alright my boy?” Coran called from the kitchen.

“Yeah.” Lance said, pulling his head from the table, and looking at the pale flower in his hand again. Lance was sure it would be hard to ignore the crush and if it did develop, well…Lance willing to give it a go. “Hey Coran?” Lance asked, standing up and going to lean over the counter so he could see the orange haired man chopping away at something. “You’re pretty knowledgeable about things.”

“Why thank you kind sir.”

“Do you know the meanings of flowers?”

“Most of them. Dated a lady one who worked in a flower shop. She used to eat dirt. Our kisses weren’t that pleasant.”

“Right…” Coran had a weird life and even weirder stories. “Anyway, do you happen to know the meanings to peonies?”

“Romance, prosperity, good fortune, happy marriage,” Lance blushed at that thought, “riches, honour, compassion and bashfulness. The romance part is said to focus on love between two strangers. It also means beauty in all forms.”

Romance between strangers? He wouldn’t really consider him and Shiro strangers though they didn’t know each other very well. Lance had been right when he said the student had been compassionate and so had Shiro. Lance avoided him on the trip but Shiro still gave him advice and helped him get back at his ex, when he really didn’t have to. Bashfulness? Lance could admit he was pretty bashful around Shiro the first time they met. Honour? Shiro told a whole club of people that he was in love with a guy he barely knew – not like they knew that last part – which could have put him on the front page of every tabloid but Shiro, had been so dedicated to helping to help him.

This wasn’t helping him to try and stop the crush.

“Lance.” Lance jolted back when he realised when he was thinking, Coran had moved closer to him. “What are you thinking of so hard? Is that flower why you’re so curious?”

Lance hid the flower behind his back. He could have left the flower in the fridge of the breakroom but it stayed in his hand even after he put his stuff away. “n-no.”

Coran raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing him. “Sure. By the way, I didn’t compliment your new hairstyle.”

Lance’s free hand moved to his hair. When he got back home he combed it back to its usual style but that morning, he couldn’t help it. He got many compliments, which kept bringing him back to the smile Shiro had on his face when he came out in his full outfit yesterday.

Yeah, he was doing a really bad job at hiding his crush.

* * *

 

While Lance slightly endured questioning from Coran, Shiro waited to get Kolivan’s attention. Usually they would hang out at the club house when they didn’t want to be at home but Kolivan’s sister had gifted them with a new makeover as an apology for not visiting like she promised, so instead they were at his house. When they came over, they would switch who would choose the tea, the tea set and the music. Ulaz choose the music, Thace the tea and now he was waiting for Kolivan to pause his phone call to give him an indication as to what tea set he wanted.

Of course, now that he and Allura had made up – though he heard when Kolivan told Allura to apologize a certain way, she got embarrassed and then mad, again before storming out, than Kolivan made it better by decorating the nearby park into a lighted wonderland – Kolivan was planning another trip. This time to the mountains, to stay at their preferred ski lodge. Lance would no doubt join.

Lance. He couldn’t stop thinking about him. How he wanted to help him feel better, how Lance looked after his makeover, the feeling of satisfaction when Lance choose him and not his ex and the whole set of events after, he still wanted to be Lance’s. Shiro was never one for relationships. His father couldn’t stay loyal; it was just easier to avoid being committed all together. Seeing Lance’s pain yesterday should have strengthened the fact but getting Lance all dolled up and playing the song for him, Shiro wanted that to be real. No one had ever made him feel like that. Part of him wanted to reject the idea but the other part, the one that wanted to be better than his father, said to give it a chance. Shiro hadn’t had anything related to a crush in ages so honestly, he had been shoving it to the back of his mind until he could finally figure it out.

Finally Kolivan noticed Shiro was waiting for him and mouthed ‘peonies’ to him. Nodding, Shiro moved when he remembered something. He couldn’t use the peony set for the group anymore, at least until he could replace the cup he broke when he was explaining to Lance what it meant to be hurt. And that whole set took him months to create.

He turned back to Kolivan and yanked on the white braid, dodging the swipe anyone would get if they tugged on Kolivan’s hair. When he saw he had his attention, he whispered, “I can’t use that one.”

Kolivan looked confused and asked the person on the other end to hold and pulled the phone away from his ear, “what do you mean you can’t use that one?”

How did he explain that he willingly destroyed a cup from one of his favourite sets to help a guy he was sure he was starting to crush on? “I just can’t. Pick another one.”

Wrong choice of words. Shiro felt himself stiffen as the eyes of Thace, Ulaz and Kolivan turn on him. Kolivan even got back on the phone and ended the call before fully facing Shiro

“That set is one of your favourites. Why the sudden urge to not use it?”

“Yes, Shiro, do tell.” Ulaz asked. Thace just stared him down.

It was almost nearly impossible to hide things from his friends. They had been friends for too long and went through too much together for him to be able to hide how he felt.

“I just don’t want to. What’s the big deal?” he said, still trying to get out of admitting it.

Kolivan leaned down, making Shiro back away and trying not looking the serious, probing look on the white haired man’s face. “I don’t believe you. What are you hiding Shirogane?”

God, his full last name. Kolivan could sound like a parent sometimes. Ironic, when he didn’t get along with his own.

“Nothing.” He heard Ulaz and Thace get up and before he knew it, he was cornered from all sides. Even more terrifying when they all where taller than him

“We can do this the hard way or the easy way Shiro, your choice.” Ulaz warned, making Shiro stiffen up more.

He knew exactly what the threat was but Shiro was still stubborn to admit it and tried one last chance at avoiding to answer. He tried running away.

Which didn’t work, when you were surrounded by 3 taller guys.

Kolivan grabbed the back of his shirt and trapped Shiro’s arms between his as he locked his own hands behind Shiro’s head. Ulaz pulled up his sleeves as Thace grabbed onto his legs.

“You asked for it Shiro.” Ulaz said approaching

“No, no, Ulaz, no!” Shiro begged

Ulaz didn’t listen as he approached and stuck his hands under Shiro’s arms and started to move his fingers. Shiro burst into pleas of laughter, begging still slipping through. The tight hold kept him still as he put up with his torture. When the fingers moved to his sides, he let out a loud squeal, begging even more for Ulaz to end his suffering.

“It ends when you start taking Shiro.” Ulaz reminded, not slowing down.

“Ok, ok, ok, I’l – I’ll talk! Now, stop!” Shiro begged, trying to pull his legs away from Thace’s grip

Ulaz back away and Thace let go, but Kolivan still held on tight.

“I’m not letting go until you start talking.”

Shiro knew Kolivan would. He caught his breath and also tried to organize his thoughts. If he lied again, he was already locked down for another torture session.

“Ok, fine. I broke one of the cups to the peony set.”

He got confused looks from Thace and Ulaz, which he understood. The whole group knew that Shiro’s things were pretty hard to break because of the amount of work he put into making the material strong.

“You _broke_ it?” he heard Kolivan asked, sounding he didn’t believe him. “Your things don’t break from dropping.”

“No but they break when you smash it with a hammer.” Shiro said.

The whole room was quiet and Kolivan let go of Shiro, who stood there uncomfortable at the looks he knew he was getting, as he looked over to the rack that held his winter things and where the scarf Lance insisted he take back sat on top of his jacket.

“Shiro,” Ulaz asked gently, “why did you break the cup? It’s not like you to break art of yours when you like how it’s turned out.”

Knowing that he couldn’t keep this a secret anymore. Besides, his friends never judged. “I found Lance yesterday and he found about what happened.”

“You mean his asshole boyfriend toying with him?” Kolivan asked

“He was crying in the streets, so I invited him back here and helped him understand that he could cry about what happened or he could use it to become stronger. I used the cup as a metaphor.”

“Ooh, does this mean our Casanova has a crush?” Thace teased. Shiro still didn’t look at any of them and didn’t say anything. “Wait? Seriously? Shiro, do you…?”

“Maybe? It’s just, I thought I’d help him get back at his ex by showing him that Lance was able to move on to someone better and who better than a Blade? So I gave him a makeover and we went to the club his ex worked at and I told everyone that Lance had my heart and Lance chose me over his ex who tried to get back with him and it felt…ugg!” Shiro rubbed his hands over his face feeling frustrated. “I don’t know if I have a crush or what. It’s just…confusing.”

He felt Kolivan grab his shoulders and was guided to sit at the table

“Thace, make the tea.” Kolivan ordered, “and you calm down.” He ordered to Shiro who had his mouth open to talk.

“I can-” Shiro started

“What you can do is maybe start explaining how your feeling. Goodness knows you’d be easier to get through to other than Kolivan admitting he liked Allura.” Ulaz said

“Excuse me?” Kolivan asked, sounding insulted

“So how did you find him? Allura came by the club house but Kolivan was too busy antagonizing Allura for an apology to find how she figured it out.” Ulaz asked

“Lance kept texting his ex and when he didn’t answer, Allura took him to go to his job and they found him with his other girlfriend. He was explaining what happened at the skating rink to his girlfriend and he and Allura heard the whole thing. Oh, Kolivan I’m sure your violent tendencies are rubbing off on your girlfriend because she kicked Lance’s ex in the face and yelled at his girlfriend.” Shiro explained

“Violent tend – excuse me?!” Kolivan yelled obviously not liking how he was being attacked

“Ok, so you found him crying in the streets. You felt sorry for him.” Ulaz said, once again ignoring Kolivan as Thace brought over the tea in his own favourite set.

“How could I not? I might be a Casanova but I don’t rudely play with the people I’m with. Plus, when I told him I knew, he kinda burst into sobs.”

“Did people think it was your fault?” Thace asked as he set a cup of tea in front of Shiro

“…maybe.” Shiro said into his cup.

“So why did you take Lance to get back at his boyfriend?”

Shiro was quiet, his finger running around the rim. Why did he want to help Lance? The advice was more than enough but he wanted to see Lance better. The tear tracks hurt his heart. It reminded him… “Mom. He reminded me of my mom when she hears about my dad. I didn’t think it was right that he was to be treated like that.”

“But it changed a bit?” Ulaz asked

Shiro nodded. He still wanted to help Lance during the whole makeover, but seeing Lance like that…he looked amazing. Walking through the street with his hand in Lance’s, he liked it. He told Lance they might as well keep the act up until they got home, but honestly, he wanted more time to act like Lance was his.

“I told the whole club that Lance stole my heart and refused to give it back. His ex was only noticing Lance because of how he was dressed and he asked if Lance wanted to go back out with him, so when Lance chose me over him…”

“It felt good didn’t it?” Kolivan asked, seeming to push his anger from the teasing away.

Shiro nodded.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” Ulaz asked

“I don’t know. I don’t do relationships. If I mess this up, it won’t just affect me. Kolivan, your girlfriend got pissed at you because of what you did to Lance’s ex. No offense, but Allura scares me sometimes.”

“Then go at it slow. He just got dumped so don’t move in just yet. When it does happen, let him know. I think if he’s anything like Allura, he’ll understand.”

He could go at it slow. He wanted a chance with Lance if he could get it. And he really wanted it.

* * *

 

“So he gave a makeover and helped you show off to that ass?” Allura asked. They were still at work; Allura saving Lance from the questions Coran was asking him. But Allura asked her own questions at the sight of the flower and Lance’s new hairstyle. While Coran would have given up the more Lance resisted, Allura would not. Lance had no choice but to tell her.

Lance nodded. “It felt really nice feeling important.”

“Well you are. I didn’t think Shiro would do that, even though he’s pretty nice.”

“He broke a piece of his work for me. It was just, different. Nice different.” Lance said, twirling the flower in his hand.

“Peony right? So it’s means something with romance right?” Allura asked, sounding like she already knew

Lance nodded. “Coran said it focuses on romance between strangers.”

“I mean, you and Shiro are pretty much strangers. Do you think he’d feel the same?”

Lance shrugged. “He’s part of the Blades and he could have anyone in the world. Plus didn’t you say he was a Casanova?”

“Ok one, I’m dating Kolivan, who is the leader of the Blades and my family owns a dry cleaners. Two, he said he wanted to keep the game going until you got home. How do you know he isn’t interested?”

Lance looked at the flower, remembering what Shiro said and how he made Lance feel. It felt real and he wanted it to be.

“Do you think I have a chance? I mean I just got dumped.”

“Then not right now. When you feel ready, give it a chance. I can ask Kolivan to give a good word.”

Lance shook his head. “No. You beat up my ex, he helped me get back at him. I want to do something.”

“What?”

“I don’t know yet. We’ll see. But don’t tell Coran please.”

“I won’t. But think of it this way, if it goes well, this time double dates will be way better.”

Lance wouldn’t deny that, but first he needed to ask Shiro out first.

“Is it bad, I want to ask him now?” Lance asked

“Kolivan worked for it, maybe you should see if he does it too. Breathe Lance. I know he's cute and he makes you feel special, but don’t jump in so quick. You did that with the asshole.”

He forgot that. Yeah, he should wait, but he did want to do something for Shiro as a thank you.

* * *

 

It had been a week, Shiro wanted to go to Lance and tell him how he felt but fear held him back. He was told by Kolivan that if he was serious about Lance that he needed to let Lance know. Maybe that’s why he was in his work room making a brand new tea set. It had peonies on it again, but he was painting it as light as possible to get it as close to the colour of the peony he gave to Lance. He wanted the set to be ready when he told Lance what he meant to him. The others could call him a sap all they wanted; he meant what he told Lance. He deserved to loved and praised and he wanted to do that. Peonies meant romance, compassion, honour, bashfulness and prosperity just to name a few. He wanted romance with Lance. He was pretty bashful when it came to telling Lance how he felt. He wanted to be better than his dad and honour their relationship. He wanted a chance with Lance badly.

He had been so focused in his work that he almost didn’t hear someone knocking on his door. He knew it couldn’t be the guys since they knew he’d be working, which meant it was someone else. When he opened the door he was surprised to see it was Lance, with a bouquet of peonies.

“Lance? What are you doing here?”

“Did I disturb you?”

Shiro looked down at his clothes. They were his working clothes, full of stains from clay and paint, nothing like the high end clothes he’d usually wear.

“Not exactly. Come in, it’s pretty cold outside.”

He let Lance in and went the sink to wash his hands, glancing over at the brown haired teen, who seemed to be hiding in his face in his scarf, looking down at the bouquet sitting on his lap. Shiro wiped his hands and approached Lance, sitting near him. He didn’t expect to see Lance so soon. He wanted to finish the tea set first but it wasn’t like he could avoid Lance just to do that. Plus, he was curious what the bouquet was for.

He watched Lance finger at his scarf before pulling it away from his mouth and then picked up the bouquet, shoving it into Shiro’s face.

“I like you!”

Well, he wasn’t expecting that.

“I mean, um, I do like you and I know you don’t have to give me the same chance Kolivan gave Allura and that’s fine. I mean you were just being nice that day you found me and I’m pretty good at not getting crushes so easily, it was just I wanted your approval during the makeover and when you told everyone I had your heart, it made me feel good, not because you’re a Blade, but because, I don’t know, it felt real and like someone really liked me and even after we left, you wanted to continue pretending and I could of read that completely wrong and I’ve been trying to control myself because I just got dumped, but um, I couldn’t so here!” Lance rushed out.

Shiro took a minute to digest everything. Lance liked him, enough that he had been trying to give himself time but obviously couldn’t control himself. He wasn’t even expecting anything from him, he just wanted to tell him.

Shiro took hold of the hands holding the bouquet and lowered them so he could see Lance’s red face. The red in his face looked like red peony’ petals. “Wait here, ok? I want to show you something.”

Lance looked confused and a bit scared, like Shiro was going to do something to him but he could never hurt Lance. He went back to his work room and picked up the set with the freshly painted flowers and walked back into the room, where he could hear Lance muttering to himself as he hid himself behind the bouquet. He put the set down and took the flowers from Lance, leaving him nowhere but his scarf to hide, but the tea set caught his attention.

“Is this new?”

Shiro nodded, “I wanted to have this done so I could talk to you but apparently you beat me to it.”

He watched as Lance looked closer at the tea set, looking at the wet paint on the cup. “They’re…”

“Peonies. I finally looked up what they meant. I know they say it means romance between strangers, but I’d rather try and focus more on the romance part instead of just the strangers part.” That got Lance’s attention. “I’ll be honest, I’ve never done relationships. Everyone knows me as a Casanova but my father…he’s cheated multiple times on my mother, who loves him with her whole heart but feels utterly broken when she finds out what he’s up to. I told myself I wouldn’t do what my father does and avoided relationships but that whole night, I wanted what I said to become real. I’m scared I might mess this up or that’ll I’ll get hurt by you, but…if you’re willing, I want to give this a chance.”

“R-really? Are you serious?” Lance asked, tears of disbelief filling his eye. “You want to give me a chance?”

Shiro nodded and was caught off guard when Lance launched himself at him, hugging him.

“I’ll do my best, I promise. I’ll show you this is worth it.”

His free hand patting Lance’s hair, Shiro held him close. “I know you will. I meant what I said Lance, your meant to be loved and praised, and I promise I’ll do that and more.”

“What were you doing with the set?” Lance asked finally pulling himself away

“Well, every time I look at peonies now, I think of you and I wanted to make this tea set as a way to show you how I felt.”

“Will you finish it?” Lance asked, looking hopeful

Shiro gave him a smile and nodded. “When they guys come over, they all have their favourite set they like to use so I want to have yours when you come over. Do you want to help me?”

Lance nodded furiously; obviously giddy with the fact he was going to have his own tea set. Shiro smiled at his expression. Yes, the thought of this whole thing was terrifying, but it was something he was willing to try. And maybe, just maybe, their love could bloom as full as a peony.


End file.
